After the Storm
by Sesshy's Rose
Summary: No one ever told Mai there were long term effects to ghost hunting. It's been two years since Naru left and she distanced herself from everyone. Two years since she started having nightmares brought on by the terrors she had witnessed. Two years of trying to forget alone. Mai won't ask for help, but that's okay, since her self-proclaimed savior isn't used to asking. MaiXNaru
1. Chapter 1

**After the Storm**

 **Chapter 1**

Mai felt the cold keys in her hand, unlocking the door of her apartment with little more than a glance to make sure the key smoothly found the keyhole before giving it a twist and making her way into her dark home. She glanced around, suppressing a shiver at the shadows cast by the light streaming in the doorway before flipping the overhead lantern on, illuminating the room before her. She suppressed a yawn, stretching her arms out, feeling the tension of the day uncoil before pulling her pack off her back and dropping it unceremoniously at her feet. Mai kicked her shoes off and collapsed on her couch, another yawn popping from her mouth, this time unsuppressed- stretching her jaw uncomfortably wide, almost as if to make up for stopping the escape of the last one.

Mai took in the familiarity of the small room, taking comfort in it as she thought back to the day. Wake up, go to work, night class, and sleep. It had been her daily schedule for two years now- and with it being her first semester in college, she didn't see an end in sight.

Two years. Two years since Naru had left. Two years since her school had decided her job had taken too much of her time. GED night classes had been brutal. Mai had maintained her naivety despite her time as a ghost hunter- she snorted quietly to herself as the term skittered across her mind unbidden- but, in honesty, life was a bitch.

But she had survived. Survived some horrific dreams while she worked for SPR as well as some truly terrifying experiences- some of which her mind still struggled to classify as reality. She had people who cared for her, and helped her understand what was happening and how to decipher it.

 _Now,_ Mai thought somewhat bitterly as she made her way to the small kitchenette in the corner of the room, _Now, I'm alone._

Mai pulled out a pan, ramen in hand as she measured out the required water and watched thoughtfully as she waited for signs of boiling.

She wasn't surprised by how quickly the group scattered. It wasn't all their fault either. She was a teenager- handling the way her boss rejected her in the same way most teenagers would. She tried to forget. Mai moved to a lower income community, scrubbing her life of any and all hints SPR had left behind. She changed her number- and found herself struggling in school. Her attendance had become an issue anyways- and why did school matter when she had a broken heart?

She had been so stupid. She knew that now. Mai sighed as she poured the cooked noodles into a bowl and situated herself back on the couch, turning the radio on a popular music station to dispel the thoughts that crept up on her with the silence.

It had taken her two years to put her life on track. Mai blew on the steaming bowl in her haste to fill her empty stomach. She was finally doing what she should be doing in the timeline of her life. School and work kept her sufficiently busy. Her mind was at ease _mostly._

Two years and Mai found herself on a clear path. It was a lonely path; she had become very good at deflecting company. It was easier to be alone.

It was much easier then explaining the bags found often under her eyes or the slight tremor visible in her penmanship. The lack of control made her angry whenever she found herself reflecting on these long term effects. Mai would throttle the man if she ever ran into him again.

Mai placed her bowl in the sink as she stifled yet another yawn. Her eyes drooping now that her stomach was warm and full. She hated the fear that came unbidden as she put on her pajamas and readied herself for bed.

As she lowered herself on the futon, several lights illuminating the small apartment for when she woke up gasping in the night, Mai struggled to calm herself.

Two years. It had been two fucking years of fighting a battle Mai was starting to believe she would never win. Night. After. Night. Nightmares. Senseless fears. Silence that reminded her she was completely alone.

She fought sleep, even as it lulled her body into a false relaxation. Her heart slowed as her breathes deepened. For just this moment, Mai dozed peacefully.

 _ **Author's Note: I don't own Ghost Hunt or its characters. Updates may be sporadic depending on life. I'll TRY for weekly updates. As always, your thoughts on the story are always appreciated!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Mai jerked from her peaceful slumber around 2 am, despite remembering the red glare of her alarm clock displaying 11:45 pm as she fought the exhaustion that had fought its way to the forefront of her mind. She reached for the metal bucket, lined with a store bag for just this reason, placed within reach of her bed and relived the ramen she had been digesting. She fought the reflex, her chest heaving with the action and her brow coated in a thin sheen of sweat. She could still smell the blood coated room she had found Masako trapped within. The labyrinthine interior trapped the smell within the small space, and she remembered, clearly, the stench as she hurled herself around the corner in her haste.

Mai breathed deeply, cringing at the after taste left in her mouth. Her lips pulled down in a frown as she realized her body was covered in sweat and she desperately needed a shower. Needed to wash the experience back into the deep recesses of her mind for another night.

Roughly three nights a week Mai found herself unlocking these doors unbidden and reliving the horror of her time with SPR. She never remembered being so- terrified- when she had experienced the memories first hand, but she tried not to dwell on it too much. On the nights she didn't dream of the past, she found herself drifting to thoughts of the future. These were worse than the memories. These nights she woke up cursing her psychic "gifts" as Naru had called them.

Sometimes she would relive the death of a complete stranger. Waking to find her body twisted much like the corpses in her dreams. She would later find bruises and cuts, self-inflicted as she flailed on her futon. Often time, she would lose control of her body, waking to find herself wet and humiliated by her lack of control.

Mai preferred the nights of agonizing memories over the torture of watching someone die and knowing there is little that can be done.

Mai grabbed a towel and dragged herself to the shower, sighing in pleasure as the hot water slid down her skin and pooled at her feet, washing away the damage and fear of the night. She focused solely on the comforting sound of rain, imagining she was in a storm that raged only for her. She centered herself, feeling calmer than she had since entering her home.

Stepping out, she wrapped the plush cloth around her torso and stared at the mirror clouded with condensation before her, using her palm to wipe away a section, so she could peer at her reflection. She wasn't surprised to see she had grown. She was short and petite, her hair, the same shade of brown it had always been, slid down past her shoulders. She had grown it out in hopes of a change and found she liked it this way. Her deep chestnut brown eyes made her look youthful in their size and distracted from the dark circles that lightly rested beneath them. Mai had grown use to them and brushed away any concern from her coworkers that she didn't get enough sleep.

After Naru left and her coworkers returned to their own busy lives, Mai had thought about finding a counselor to talk to once the nightmares began. She was covered financially under insurance provided through the same government agency that ruled her emancipation. She struggled with what she might say. "Hi, my name's Mai and I'm terrified to sleep because I see people die?" They would lock her up on the spot, no questions asked. She had even tried to broach the subject with Bou-san, Ayako, and John, but when she met with them, they were always so happy to see her. She couldn't imagine burdening them with her stupid nightmares. Only they weren't so stupid when she was experiencing them. Then, they were very, very real.

Mai grabbed her pack off the floor, heavy with her night school books. She pulled out the text for a class she knew she had a sufficient amount of homework to complete for. She glanced at the clock on the oven and realized there were still a few hours to go before she had to work. Grabbing a mug of freshly brewed coffee, she settled at the table to work, the memory resealing itself behind a shrouded door in the back of her mind as she focused on the work before her.

The scratching of her pencil and the ticking of the wall clock were the only sounds that broke the silence as the world slowly woke up outside. Mai was alone. Alone was comforting. She didn't need anyone to help her. She knew she could rely on herself. Everyone struggled with things in their lives. Who was she to think she was special? No, alone had gotten her through the last two years relatively unscathed. Alone was what was best for her. She would conquer her past fears and find a way to control her expanding powers by herself, and she would ultimately be stronger as a person for it.

Elsewhere, a young man watched out the small, rectangular window immediately to his right as the plane slowly descended onto the black pavement below. Rousing the older male beside him, he cleared his throat, his voice gruff with fatigue.

"We're here."

 _ **A.N. Okay, so these chapters are a bit shorter than I originally planned. However, I am very specific on where I stop a chapter, so it can't be helped. It just means I have time to get more out to you sooner. Thanks for reading and please let me know what you think. Thanks!**_ __


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Oliver Davis dropped his suitcase heavily on the floor, his tall frame slightly bent from apparent exhaustion. He ignored Lin as the man slid around him further into the room where two queen size beds sat shrouded mostly in the dark. Lin glanced at his charge, pulling the strap of his travel bag from his shoulder and placing it softly on the bed furthest from the entrance, wordlessly claiming it for the night. He watched as Naru, the name he had continued to call him by even after their return to England, plopped himself on the bed without any of the grace he usually bore.

It had been strange returning home after the extended trip abroad. Somehow, after their return, Lin had found himself feeling less attached to the comforts of home. He had grown used to the small, quiet office he claimed in Japan. It felt lived in and familiar. The office he held in England was twice the size with glaringly empty white walls and a large window that overlooked the busy city. He realized quickly with a stab of surprise that he hadn't missed it at all and he knew that Naru had felt the same way from the shout of "Mai, tea!" that rung through the halls for the fourth time that day, followed by muttered curses and a slamming of the door. It would have been comical if Lin hadn't been inclined to listen for the voice of the petite brunette to respond in kind. Humans were, after all, creatures of habit.

The two of them had adjusted accordingly, struggling more than anything with the sudden change in language. Lin caught Naru more than once muttering to himself in Japanese- and even caught himself inclined to respond offhandedly in the foreign language from time to time. Within a year though, things had returned to normal for the most part. The only major changes his keen eyes noted was that Naru didn't ask anyone to make his tea, preferring to undertake the task himself; Naru also seemed more open, struggling less to form connections with others, but still avoiding the need to make them unless there was no way around it.

Lin had worked to keep the connections they had in Japan open by sending emails on occasion. He knew that his charge had done the opposite- going out of his way to ignore what they sent altogether. He acted as if he wasn't interested in anything but the texts and studies before him. His time in Japan hadn't succeeding in making him more sociable- he was still the focused scientist he had always been. Some things just never change. Six months upon their return, Father John had emailed them from the church. He expressed his worries for Mai, who seemed to have disappeared after their leave.

He wasn't stupid; he knew something had gone down between the scientist and his assistant- but he knew better then to pry by asking Naru about it. In the end though, none of the regulars had shown any sign that they knew anything either.

" _I'm worried about her, Lin."_ The father had typed, _"She seemed deeply troubled by something. What if her abilities have expanded?"_

It had been a serious question, and as Lin reread the sentence, he realized with a hint of guilt, that it was something he had not even considered. Transporting Gene back home had been at the top of their priorities at the time. His mind had been full of grief, even if he knew it didn't show. He had been working with both Noll and Gene for years, even if Naru had been his focus. It is never easy to find someone you know, in any capacity, in that stage of decomposition. Lin shuddered at the image that rose unbidden at the thought.

Reigning in a sigh, Lin reached over and turned on the light over the desk, which sat, bulky and generic, in the corner near the foot of his bed. The light filled the room, lighting up the bland cream walls and exposing every corner of the dull hotel room in a harsh white light.

"We should grab some dinner." Lin said as an afterthought, glancing out the heavily curtained window as the AC unit below growled to life. It was pitch dark out except for the tall lights that dimly illuminated the parking lot below.

"Order room service." Had been the muffled reply as Naru made his way into the bathroom, grabbing his bag on the way and closing the door with a light click. Seconds later the shower started.

"He certainly doesn't act like he wants to be here." Lin commented quietly to himself as he thumbed through the laminated pages of the menu that sat squarely in the middle of the table before placing the order. It wasn't like he didn't know what Naru liked to eat. Just as he hung up the phone the shower cut off.

Naru wrapped the now damp towel lightly around his narrow hips as he bit back a sigh. Straight off the flight they had awaited a taxi and found the first hotel that didn't scream 'horror movie potential' with a lit Vacancy sign and crashed. The next morning they contacted the owner of their previous SPR location only to find that there had been a serious fire in the kitchens of the café below and that it would be four to six months before the remodel would be complete. After promising to call them back upon its completion he had hung up and Naru had looked over at Lin on what he thought they should do next. They ended up looking through online listings for nearby rentable commercial properties and settled on a monthly contract with a small, but clean office three blocks from their desired location. It was quite a bit smaller, but the monthly rental agreement would allow them to return to the preferred property once it was completed instead of waiting out the period of a year or more.

Naru exited the bathroom clad in black pajama pants, running the towel through his hair thoughtfully. It was strange to be back here again. He had left with the intention of never returning- his wish to cut contact with all of his previous employees had been his way of enforcing that, yet here they were.

About a year ago, Lin had approached him in his office asking if he had received any emails, calls, or letters from his previous assistant. It had been a simple question, but seemed so out of the blue for Lin that Naru had been openly confused. Lin had handed him the letter Father John had sent him and explained his inability to find anything, anywhere, on Mai Taniyama. It was like she was just gone, or just blended in with the general populace. The problem was, though, Mai did not blend in- she stood out like the moon amongst the stars. It wasn't due to anything in particular- she was just someone that people remembered. He had felt slightly worried.

"I'm sure she's fine, Lin. You worry too much." That had been his response as he handed the printed email back to the man before him and turned his back in obvious dismissal. He had listened as Lin had risen without a word and exited the office, closing the door softly and leaving Naru alone with his thoughts.

It had only taken Naru seconds to open his desk following the click of the door and riffle through the case files he stored there, his hands stilling on a manila envelope that looked as if it had been sealed and stored. It looked thin, empty. Naru knew better as he ripped the corner open and shook the feather-light contents onto the desk before him.

It was a piece of ribbon. About eight inches long and dark red, Naru had found it on the floor of the office lobby after one of their cases. Everyone had gone home except for him- even Lin was enjoying some down time with Madoka. He remembered Mai wearing it in her hair, tied in a bow, threaded through her ponytail. He bent down to pick it up and place it on her desk for her to discover the following day, but found himself absorbed in what appeared to be snippets of Mai's recent encounters.

 _Mai walking to the train station. Mai sleeping in class. Mai talking with one of her annoying friends. Mai-_

Naru had dropped the small scrap of fabric in surprise, only to attempt picking it up again only to find it happened again… and again. Normally, his powers worked once on an object if at all- but this was as if the ribbon was tied to Mai. So, naturally, he had kept it. Used it on occasion just to see if it still worked. It always did. Naru assumed the same would happen once he picked it up this time, and he found himself strangely giddy and curious as to what his assistant had been up to without him there to aggravate her constantly.

When he grasped the thin, slightly worn piece of material in his fingers though, he found himself terrified by what he saw. He dropped the ribbon on his desk, his fingers slightly shaking. Hesitantly, he grabbed for it again, a deep intake of breath the only indication of shock before he closed his eyes and gave in to what he saw.

 _ **A.N. I know- evil cliffhanger is evil… but I seriously can't help myself! So, I hope this gives the history for the most part- which will make getting into the meat and potatoes of the story easier in the next chapter. As always, don't own, hope you like, please let me know your thoughts! I have loved hearing from those of you who have reviewed! Thank you!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Mai noticed her exhaustion increasing as she left the campus grounds. Her last class of the day had just finished and she was making her way to the train station; she just wanted to get home. Maybe sleep? A nap sounded amazing right now. She stopped as she noticed the tea shop she was currently passing by at a snail's pace. The smells that wafted out the propped open door made her mouth water. After a quick calculation of her funds, she made her way inside. Tea would hit the spot and hopefully get her mind off taking a nap.

Mai ordered and took her steaming drink to a table by the large, front windows. Looking out at the people as they passed by, she sipped her drink, realizing with a grimace that it was way too hot still. Setting it down on the table in front of her, she slouched back in the chair, which was surprisingly comfortable, and continued her perusal of the sidewalk activity outside.

Mai stared intently at the ever moving smarm before her. It was comforting to be around. She was a loner for sure, but needed to be around others, just like anyone else, even if she rejected the idea. Quietly, she finished her tea before grabbing her bag and continuing on her way. She expected a long night ahead of her.

It had taken Naru months to look over everything and make sure he wasn't jumping the gun. He wasn't a hero, he knew this, he just wanted to make sure his ex-assistant- who was always in trouble- wasn't in trouble. He knew Lin suspected otherwise, and was even reminded of this fact when he demanded Lin to book a flight to Japan for the both of them. He had wanted to wipe that smirk right off the tall man's face.

" _I can't remember ever being so scared."_ Naru thought to himself even as Lin grabbed the keys and the two of them left the hotel all but untouched except for the ruffled appearance of the beds. Naru's sleep had been troubled; the sooner they found Mai, the sooner he would be able to go home and return to his routine. Maybe though, he might find out why he had seen nothing when holding Mai's ribbon first.

As Lin hailed a taxi, Naru reached into his pocket and fingered the deteriorating piece of ribbon he had brought with them. It had grown increasingly worn due to his constant touching. It was a habit at this point. The normalcy of it didn't stop the disappointment he felt when it again showed him nothing. With a sigh, Oliver found himself in the cab beside his assistant. Today he would start researching. Find out for sure where she was- and maybe stop by and see her without her knowing, just to be certain all was well. She didn't need to know he was willing to tear all of Japan apart to find her. Then again, he didn't want to think on it long enough to admit that to himself.

Mai waited patiently to cross the street, her eyes straying to the cars as they passed by, ruffling her hair and clothing as they sped by her. She caught snippets of characteristics as they passed; a blonde woman yelling on the phone as she rode, a large, heavy set teen playing a game with the volume turned up- a tall Chinese male talking on the phone, window down as his taxi sped by.

Mai froze- hazarding a second look at the taxi, though it was long gone. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and the crosswalk went green without her even noticing and people pushed past her as she stood unmoving. The small bit of voice she had heard was unmistakably familiar.

Lin.

The name was synonymous with Naru.

Naru was in Japan.

Mai took a step to follow the crosswalk- her legs working on their own as her mind had stopped focusing on the present. A car horn filled her senses before everything went black.

 _ **A.N.: I know, short, but it can't be helped with what's going on in my life right now. I apologize. Let me know your thoughts and as always, thanks for reading!**_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The hitch in her soft, peaceful breathing was the only sign outwardly visible that Mai was heading towards consciousness. She was confused; her eyes seemed too heavy to open and she could hear the steady beeping of a heart monitor nearby. It was a sound she had grown somewhat used to once she agreed to working for Naru. She realized, vaguely, that she was in the hospital, though this did nothing to calm her mounting confusion as she fought through the fog in her mind- why was she in the hospital?

Her eyes still closed, Mai turned her head slightly, moaning- though it came out as little more than a heavy sigh- with the twist of sore muscles the movement evoked. She felt the fog quickly encroaching on her thoughts again, suffocating them as she fell back into a drug-induced sleep.

Oliver had watched Mai's movement from his chair at the foot of the bed, his body tensed in anticipation of her eyes opening- a twinge of fear at how she might react to seeing him again. When she stilled, a small snore breaking through her lips signaling that she was back in dreamland, Naru couldn't help the smirk that crossed his features at the undignified sound. He could imagine how embarrassed she would be if he knew he heard it. Thinking about it caused his smirk to grow and took his mind off the stab of disappointment he experienced as Mai drifted back off to sleep.

His smirk quickly turned into a frown as Naru raked his eyes over his ex-employee's form- noting that she had lost weight and was sporting some seriously large, puffy bags under her eyes. They looked bruised. He fumbled with the book in his lap as he glanced around the sterile room.

Oliver absently stuck his restless hand in the pocket of his coat, his fingers brushing lightly against Mai's ribbon, eliciting a loud grunt from Naru as he doubled over in the chair, his hand tearing from his pocket as if he had been electrocuted. He cursed under his breath as he tried to collect his bearings; running his hand through his choppy mop of black hair he grimaced as his palm quickly turned slick with sweat.

Naru sat back as his breathing returned to normal. He thought back to the ribbon, not daring to reach into his pocket again. He had been in the cab with Lin when the sound of screeching tires and multiple horns erupted behind them before the loud crunch of metal being bent out of shape entered the fray. He had been turning in his seat to see what had occurred, absently reaching for the familiar scrap of fabric.

The vision was clearer than any other he had experienced in the past- overloading all of his senses. He noted vaguely that before it manifested, he had felt their cab abruptly stop. The apparition itself was confusing as it seemed that he _was_ Mai in this instance. He was on the ground, the curb of a sidewalk visible just within his peripheral sight. He couldn't move, but he watched in an odd detached sort of way- which he tried to accomplish anytime he was drawn into such a spectacle- the way Mai's hand twitched right in her line of sight, but she left it there, lying amongst the glass littered street. He felt like he was missing something. Naru searched his mind- realizing much too late what was wrong. She felt nothing; Mai's mind was completely blank from his perspective.

As he became attuned to the physical world again, he fought the bile rising quickly in the back of his throat. Throwing open the door of the stationary taxi he ignored the yell of the driver for him to get back in the seat and landed on the ground devoid of energy and, soon after, his most recent meal. He nodded to Lin in thanks for the napkin he seemingly pulled out of the air and ignored the questioning stare he knew was directed at him by focusing his attention on the sound of the ambulance sirens quickly approaching them from the rear of the vehicle.

It brought his attention to the scene behind him. He had forgotten what he was doing the instant the ribbon touched his fingers in the car. Knowing if he tried to stand on his legs with as weak as he was right now, he chose to remain on the ground, poised on all fours, frozen at what he saw.

Three cars, in various states of disrepair, were scattered on the pavement behind him. The drivers and passengers were seemly unscathed as he stared at the group of people shouting insults and claims of blame at each other amongst the wreckage.

" _Not my problem."_ Naru reminded himself tiredly with a sigh. He turned to wave Lin back into the car, so that they could continue as soon as he found his footing, when the words of one driver caused him to drop back down on all fours, his chin almost scraping the concrete.

"Yeah, I WAS speeding, but that stupid BITCH wasn't paying attention. This is her fault."

It was then that he saw the pale, feminine hand, palm up, slightly twitching on the pavement from the middle of the wreckage. The rest of the body was shrouded by one of the large cars involved. Naru instantly felt sick again- his mind falling back to the vision he had just experienced.

"You mean you hit someone with your car?" It was one of the other driver's- Naru realized this indistinctly as his mind sluggishly fought against the reality of just who was under all that metal and broken glass. His mind fogged around the edges and he wondered if he might pass out. He forced himself to focus on something- anything. He noted that his vision was clearing as he stared at the bright orange puffy vest the one of the victims of the wreckage was wearing. Naru also noted, with his mind somewhat clearer as he stood slowly, that it could be some time before the mess before him was clear enough to pull anyone who might be in the middle- out.

"Lin!" he knew he was louder than he needed to be and noted the gruff, terrified tone to his voice, opting to ignore it as he turned to the man in question. The next words stuck in his throat as he fought down hysteria threatening to escape. He pointed to the now still hand that peaked from under the mess. He didn't see the ambulance as it pulled up, it's screeching sirens didn't seem to stop Lin from hearing his message. "It's Mai."

 _ **Author's Note: I am so sorry for the wait, guys! It's been a rough few months. I'm going to try and do a little bit of writing every day- which will hopefully mean more material getting written, and also more chapters. I did a quick proofread, but nothing else, so let me know if I made any errors. As always- love to know your thoughts! Have a Happy Halloween!**_

 _ **UPDATE: Proofread and did some small changes here and there in wording. Nothing of consequence was changed.**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Mai had enough awareness to realize she was in a hospital. The lulling beep of the nearby machinery and the combined stinging smells of antiseptic and cleanser were pretty familiar to her senses. She was also aware of the persistent pain that hammered against her temple, the searing pain in her side and the throbbing sensation in her foot-which she could tell was elevated and most likely casted if that was the case. She tried to dispel the lingering sleep from her eyes. For a second, Mai thought to her nightmares before realizing whatever sedative she had in her system must be responsible for their disappearance. This was temporary and Mai's breath hitched as she comprehended this rather depressing thought.

 _How did I get here? What happened?!_ She thought desperately. Her mind drew a huge blank and she shifted without thought. Her body protested the movement and Mai gasped at the bolt of pain that shuddered through her body. Mai realized how dry her throat and mouth were, the gasp drawing a bout of hacking coughs from her cracked lips. She moaned pitifully through it. The coughs rattling her body and sending wave after wave of pain through her abused limbs and torso. It felt like ages before a small cup was held to her lips and cool water slid greedily down her throat, dripping messily down her chin and onto her hospital gown.

"Thank you." Mai's voice was wispy, barely there as the coughing fit exhausted her. Her eyes remained closed as she focused on breathing. In and out. In and out. She ignored the worried stare she was sure the nurse was piercing her with as she fought to catch her breath. She could feel herself slipping back to sleep, too tired to even open her eyes and thank the nurse for the much needed drink.

Naru placed the nearly empty Styrofoam cup of water on the table next to the hospital bed, his tense muscles relaxing as he watched the girl before him fall back to sleep.

 _Woman_ he corrected himself wordlessly. In this time away, Mai had aged just as he had. She was just slightly taller if he remembered correctly, but still petite- maybe 5'2" if she stretched the truth. She had grown her chestnut tresses out and they were curled around her thinner, matured face in knots that would not be easy to get out. She still had laugh lines around her eyes and mouth, but they were noticeable only after noting the dark bags under her eyes and the worry lines that heavily lined her forehead.

He allowed his body to fall quietly back into the chair next to the bed. Naru breathed easier now, after three days on heavy sedatives to help her body heal, Mai was finally sleeping naturally. He watched her chest rise and fall slowly. It was strange how much this reminded him of their time together at SPR. His stupid assistant was always getting herself in trouble. He scoffed at the realization that this time was no different. With no one in the room to judge him, he smirked fondly at the woman before him.

Naru glanced absently at the clock on the wall. He had sent Lin to investigate Mai's new place of residence as listed on the ID they had found in the small clutch at the bottom of the bag she had been carrying with her. Most of the contents, now muddy and torn, were textbooks. Naru ignored the strange sense of pride the felt realizing that Mai was attending college classes. The textbooks obviously belonged to someone majoring in a psychological field, which made him wonder just what her plans might be.

 _She was probably on her way to class and wasn't paying attention as usual._ He thought with a sense of relief. It was good to know some people never change- Mai in particular. He put the thought aside to analyze later.

It was another hour before Lin showed up. A bag of takeout food hung from his arm absently. Naru noticed immediately that Lin seemed somewhat depressed-which was unusual for the tall man. Despite what some might think, Lin was a serious, but emotionally stable individual most of the time. Something had upset him greatly to get this somber of a response. Naru glanced at Mai as he turned to Lin, preparing himself for the report to come. Mai had been asleep for two hours at this point and he wanted answers before she woke up- which there was no telling when that could be.

"Oliver," Lin's deep voice shattered the silence, the note of hesitance in his voice lingering in the air. What he needed to say was not going to be positively received by the young man before him. Mai had definitely changed in their time away. This was a thought that bothered him greatly since he knew how chipper and friendly the petite brunette had always been. The neighbors she had now-well the one who hadn't answered the door with a knife, had opened the door just open wide enough for Lin to see the lines of cocaine set neatly upon the table among a mess of beer cans, cigarette butts, empty pizza boxes, and what was most likely a bong-had mentioned that Mai was reserved and rarely home. She minded her own business, which, the man noted, was best if you wanted to live without trouble in this neighborhood. This was a strange enough comment in regards to Taniyama that Lin thought maybe they were talking about different people. He would have searched elsewhere for answers if the last part of the conversation hadn't solidified Lin's belief that this indeed was Mai's place of residence.

"That girl has sick nightmares or something with all the screaming you hear through the walls. Screaming's pretty common around here though. Nightmares too, I guess." he had shrugged before grinning, "I offered her something to help once, but she politely declined." The neighbor motioned to the drugs on the table. It took all of Lin's self-control not to grimace at the thought that Mai had been offered illegal substances. In retrospect, it probably happened more than once by the look of the place.

His mind went back to the problem at hand. Mai had nightmares. Bad nightmares. This _was_ Mai's current residence. He had thanked the man, firmly declining the beer he tried to thrust into his hands before he shut the door.

Naru watched Lin slowly pull the components of their lunch out of the bag, a sinking feeling filling his gut unbidden. As he walked towards the silent guardian he came to an abrupt stop as a blood-curling scream rang out from the bed behind him. He turned to see Mai flailing, her eyes screwed shut.

Naru flew to her side, his free hand reaching over the bedrail to page the nurse as he tried to hold Mai still. His gut wretched at the scream that pierced his ears so close to him, wincing involuntarily at the shrill sound. He had been so wrong to think in two years _nothing_ had changed.

 _ **Author's Note: Finally a new chapter! Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read and review! I hope you enjoyed this- and have a great weekend!**_


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